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AB 512

Relating to: prohibiting an employer from relying on information about a prospective employee’s compensation when making employment decisions or inquiring about a prospective employee’s compensation and from restricting an employee’s right to disclose compensation information, allowing actions in circuit court, and providing a penalty. (FE)

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Clint Anderson and 29 co-sponsors

Prohibits using current or prior pay to screen, hire, or set offers; allows post-offer consent to verify history; protects pay discussions and enables civil/admin enforcement with

Fiscal estimate received
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · AB 512

AB 512 — Summary (Employment: Compensation Information Prohibitions)

Status: Introduced (Feb 10, 2025); fiscal estimate received (Dec 1, 2025)

Purpose

AB 512 prohibits employers from using a job applicant’s current or prior compensation to screen, decide whether to hire, or set pay for that applicant. It also protects employees’ rights to discuss and disclose compensation and provides statutory enforcement mechanisms (administrative and civil), remedies, and penalties. The measure is intended to advance pay equity and reduce reliance on salary history in hiring and pay-setting.

Key provisions

  • Ban on salary-history use (prospective employees)

    • Prohibits employers from soliciting an applicant’s current or prior compensation before making a job offer.
    • Prohibits relying on any source of an applicant’s current or prior compensation when deciding to make an offer or when setting compensation for an offer.
    • Prohibits requiring that an applicant’s compensation history meet defined criteria as a condition of being considered.
    • Repeals the existing statutory authorization for employers to solicit salary history (s. 103.36).

  • Post-offer verification (limited exception)

    • After an offer is made and compensation terms are agreed, an employer may obtain a prospective employee’s written consent to verify prior compensation.

  • Employee disclosure and discussion rights (current employees)

    • Employees may disclose their compensation and, with limited conditions, discuss or inquire about co-workers’ pay.
    • Employers may not interfere with, restrain, or penalize employees for exercising these rights.
    • Employers may not discharge, refuse promotion, or otherwise retaliate against employees for disclosure, discussion, opposing prohibited practices, or participating in enforcement.

  • Notice requirement

    • Employers must post notices informing employees and prospective employees of their rights under the statute in customary workplace posting locations and on electronic job postings. Failure to post can trigger a penalty.

  • Enforcement and remedies

    • The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) administers the law: investigates complaints, orders remedies (reinstatement, back pay, attorney fees), and may bring civil actions in circuit court on behalf of complainants.
    • Individuals may sue directly in circuit court (in addition to or instead of an administrative complaint).
    • Circuit courts may award back pay, other administrative remedies, and compensatory and punitive damages subject to statutory caps.

  • Damages caps (limits on noneconomic/punitive damages for successful plaintiffs)

    • Employers with ≤100 employees: up to $50,000
    • 101–200 employees: up to $100,000
    • 201–500 employees: up to $200,000
    • >500 employees: up to $300,000
    • DWD must annually adjust these caps by changes in the Consumer Price Index.

Who is affected

  • Private and public employers (state/local government employers may be subject except where civil service rules apply); hiring managers, HR and payroll.
  • Job applicants and current employees benefit from expanded protections and new enforcement pathways.
  • DWD (administrative workload and enforcement responsibilities).

Fiscal and implementation considerations

  • DWD fiscal estimate: ongoing cost of about $213,200 annually (two Equal Rights Officers) plus a one-time ~$5,000 for outreach/materials; estimate assumes ~6.5% increase in complaints (~150 additional complaints/year).
  • The law imposes administrative duties on DWD without dedicated funding in the introduced version (per fiscal estimate).

Procedural notes / scope

  • The bill creates a private cause of action and preserves administrative enforcement through DWD.
  • Allows limited, consented verification of salary history only after a written offer with agreed compensation.
  • Damage caps apply to noneconomic and punitive awards; other relief (back pay, reinstatement) remains available.

This summary highlights the bill’s principal effects: eliminating pre‑offer salary-history inquiries and reliance on salary history for hiring/pay decisions, protecting employees who discuss pay, and adding enforcement tools (administrative and civil) with specified remedies and capped damages.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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